Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-05-20
ALand OF Ice and Snow.

A Land Of Ice and Snow.
Preparing for winter!
What is It to the Canadian in his land
of ice and snow? When the summer Is
over and the harvest is home, in town
and country it is no idle word.
The farm people see to the shelter
and the fodder for their cattle, the we'll
and the woodpile for their chicken
There is wool to spin, and weave, and
knit; there are two tubs of butter to
pack, focks ofpoultry to kill and pluck +;
and great sacks of grain to have in
readiness for the market when the snow
comes.
The town housewife puts on her
double windows, plastering up every
crack and crevice, and takes her ingen-
uity in her endeavors to checkmate the
plumber in his architectural attacks
upon the water and gas pipes Her
cellar is packed to the ceiling with coal,
hard anthracite, with little smoke for
the pipes and fues OF her stoves; whilst
large wood sawn and split to kindle the
coal, and smaller wood to light the
larger, must find their way to their re-
spective bins in the economy of her
domicile. The wardrobe of her house
hold is overhauled, repaired, and re-
plenished. Furs are turned out, and
an account with the ravages of moths is
settled. Then the knitting! There
are socks, over-stockings, sashes, nit
tens, clouds, toques, hoods, and endless
supplies of soft, becoming wraps for
[ fair forms in evening attire-part of the
nimble nothings which fill up the spare
moments of woman's life. The cloud
is q scarf, knitted loosely of fine wool,
and generally of bright warm colors,
worn by women and children to protect
the neck and ears in mild weather-say
with thermometer above zero-and
gathered over cheeks and nose when
the mercury falls below that point.
The toque is the typical French Cana
dian head-gear for men and boys, being
neither more nor less than an old
fashioned night-cap decorated by tas-
sci. Among the habitants, however. it
has been long supplanted by more
modern, though much less comfortable
looking cap of fur, and the rage for an
tiquity has now promoted it into one of
the most fashionable necessities of win
ter costume.
But the preparations for the winter
are not confined to the farm and the
home. Shopkeepers and tradesmen
have their own anxieties about their
stores and their contracts; the street.
cars run on wheels by daily sufferance,
railways have their snow-plows at hand I;
and the steam and sailing craft from
river and lake have been safely locked.
Freight sheds and parapet ratings are
removed from the wharves and the har-
bors of Quebeck and Montreal are the
scene of many a hurry-scurry among
ocean ships, lest on some unwary night
there should be sudden "dip" in the
thermometer, which would leave them
in the ice fast-bound for six months,
with the ultimate result of crushing
them to atoms.
An abundance of early snow is always
welcomed as softener of many of the
winters hardships. 1t forms blanket
to the earth, protecting the autumn
seeds from the severe frost. With it
the farmer covers over his root-house,
and banks up the foundations of his
cellar and barns. It converts newly
made and rough roads into smooth
highways, enabling him to send to mar.
ket on a sleigh a much heavier load
than wheels can carry. It often makes
altogether new roads for him, and more
direct, regardless of river and fence
obstacles, and cutting off long and
weary windings. It gives start to the
winter trade over the whole country, as
the autumn importations do not begin
to move until brisk demand is created
by well-supplied markets. Indeed, out
or in doors, for business or for pleasure,
there is no sort of comfort till there is
plenty of snow.
The tinkle of the first sleigh-bell
sends a quick pulsation through all
Canadian life. The children of the
rich buy new sleds, and the children Of
the poor mend up their old ones. Boys
get their snow-shoes, and girls theil
skates; young men their toboggans,
and young women their costumes. Then
fathers, in the russell time of life, look
in at the curling rink to arrange thei,
matches; and even grandmamma ex.
periences a keener pleasure in antici.
pating the enjoyment of the breath OF
the sharp frosty air, wrapped in furs
and gliding over the bluest and sunniest
of skies.-Casselps Family Magazine.